Studio couch



May 8, 1945. w. w. WILSON STUDIO COUCH Filed Apri1'23, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 8, 1945 WilliamW. Wilson, Memphis, Tenn.

Application April 23, 1943, Serial No. 484,234 a 5 Claims.

Thisinve'ntion relates to studio'couches' which are tobe used,at option, assofasor beds and in which a seat portion and a back portion are hinged together and are shiftably secured to a supporting base or frame by arms, through which shift of the seat and'backrelatively to the base is accomplished in changing from sofa to bed, or vice versa; v

It particularly relates to means for latching the back to theseat, to hold the back in upright position When thestructure is used asa sofa, and to accomplish movement of the back to bed position,

and to means. for tripping andreleasing the latch by over-travel of the seat when the back has reached bed position, and is a continuation in part and improvement on my co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 481,810, filedApril 6, 1943, which became Patent No. 2357, 141 on September 5, 1944.

The objects of the present invention are:

To provide a brace or latch which will solidly brace between the back and seat whenthe backis in upright position, and which, when in such bracing position, will be locked against accidental displacement;

To provide locking means in connection with such a latch or brace which will automatically release the latch onover-travel of the seat after the back has been shifted to bed position, to allow return of the seat to bed position, and which will effectually prevent re-engagement of the latch during return movement of the seat from such over-travel position tobed position; and

To generally improve the detail and construction of such structures.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects areaccomplished, and the manner of their accomplishment, will readily be understood from the following'specific'ation upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

the release of'the latch accomplished by overtravel of the seat beyond the position shown.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the latching end of one of the braces.

In these drawings all cushions and upholstery havebeen omitted, supporting frame work only being. shown.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals:

H is a rectangular base having feet I31, which base supports a seat and back structure, both seat and back being of the same length as the base.

-Ihe seat frame comprises a pair of ends l5 which overlie and are adapted to "rest on the opposite ends I! of the base.

rigidly connected by longitudinal members I 9, 2|,

'which aline with the endsof the seat-and, are

similarly rigidly connected by longitudinal members and 21.

Secured on the inner sides of the seat frame ends I 5 are members 29 which extendrearwardly Fig. 1 isan endelevation'of the base, the seat,

and a portion of the back, with partsof each thereof broken away, and with the latch and bracin structure shown partially in section and partially in elevation, theiback and seat being shown latched and braced in respective seat and back position. l

Fig.2 is arragmentary sectional elevation takenof the back of the seat frame and overlap. the

inner sides of the lower, or front, portions-of 'the hinged to the end members I! of the base by hinge pins 35. Additionally, the ends 23 of the back are connected by hinge pins 31 to arms .39 which extend downwardly and are connected by hinge pins 4|, also to the end members of the Preferably the opposite ends of the arms 33 and 39 are inwardly cut from their opposite ends to provideslots 43 and are provided with clamping screws 45 to provide means for clamping thearm ends on their hinge pins and maintaining tightness as wear occurs.

The hinge pins 35 and M are so spaced apart relatively to the length of the arms 33 and 39 and theirpoints of attachment to the seat and back that whenthe seat I5 is resting on the base I! in seating position with the back in upright position,

the front edge of the seat issubstantially flush with the front edge of the base, whereas when the back is turned to bed position, as in Fig. 3, the hinge joint between the seat and back, is forwardly' shifted and the seat and back are about on the base, and the position of the seat when this is accomplished, and showing in dotted lines equally supported by th base with the forward edge of the seat overhanging (not shown) the front of the base and the top or rear edge of the back overhanging the back of the base;

The ends l5 are l Secured to the lower edge of the longitudinal member 25 of the back is a forked bracket 41 which extends rearwardly therefrom. 49 are blocks secured to the longitudinal member 25 and the bracket to provide bracing means therefor, and 5| are triangular blocks affording additional bracing. 53 are brace members which are pivotally secured by hinge pin 55 to these brackets. are secured. tothe rearedge of the-- longitudinal member 2! of the seat and extend downward therefrom. Carried by the extending fork of: the brackets 51 are latch pins 59. The brace members 53 extend downwardly and forwardly from the hinge pins 55 and'rest on thelatch pins 59 when the back is in upright position to brace the bak in such position. The forward edges of the notches are sloped to provide raising. cams 63 for disengaging the braces from the pins on over-travel movement of the latch.

The forward ends of the braces are slotted 5"! are identical forked; brackets: which downwardly until it rests on the base I I.

brace, the halving extending forwardly of the notch. Forward of the halved portion the latch has: a downward-1y and rearwardly extending move along the underside of the latches past the tongues Li-X and allow the latch trips to drop into releasing position. The seat is then swung In this downward movement the latch pins are deflected by the tongues 13 of the trips to over-ride the notches 59 and permit the lowering of the seat.

I claim:

1 In a studiocouch, including a, seatframe, a backframaand' hinge means adjacent, the top and front of the respective rear and lower edges of: said seat and back, hingedly securing said seat and back together; bracing means for holding said back in upright position relatively to said seat, and for accomplishing shift of said back to bed position, comprising spaced units, each unit including forked brackets, respectively rigidly secured to said seat and extending downwardly, and to said back and extending rearwardly, from sa-idlhinge,-means;a latch pin; carried bysaidz seat bracket and spaced below said. hinge means. a pivot pin: carried by said back. bracketand spaced reanwardly from said; hinge means, a. brace. hingedly mounted on. said pivot pin. and. extend.

ing downwardly past and, resting on: said latch pin, said brace adjacent its; forward endbeingabruptly notched to effect a shoulder forbracing engagement with saidlatch; pin, andforwardlyof said shoulder, said. notchbeing downwardly and forwardly,- sloped toeffect a disengaging cam;- said. brace being slotted from its forward end rearwardly beyond said notch, a latch trip-housed insaid slot, a pinabove said. notch and. rearward thereof extending transversely through said brace and rearward of the notch, and the underside 13-13 of the tongue sloping forwardly and u-pwardly to a junction with the undersurface of-the latch. Forwardly of the pin 69 the upper edge of thelatch is'notched' to provide ashoulder fil -C which is adapted to engage the forward end of I a cover plate 75 and limit upward swinging move-v ment ofthe latch..

In use as a sofa, the seat rests fiat on the base H with its forward edge substantially flush with the front edge of the base, and with the back hinged to the seatv by the pivot pins 31; extending and through the. arms 33 and 35. accomplishing a forward movement of both. back andseat withrelation to the, base i t. Movement. isconti-nued until the back rests fiat on thebase; as shown in Fig, 3, at such time the pins. 5-9v being. infirm engagement with the shoulders of the braces 53..

Further movement of the seat is continued, thelatch pins 59 moving. about the pins- 31 ascenters to the position 5QX, shown dotted; and the braces moving tothe dottedpositions 53X, about the pins; 55- as centers. In, this movement the; sloping shoulders 63-X of the braces raise; the brace notchesfrom pin engagement, and the pins 59-X' cooperate with the rear sides of the latch trip. tongues T3X to raise the latchesv to the positions61'fX. On additional movement of the seat upward and backward the latch pinsand trip tohingedly mountsaid trip. inv said slot,

notch, said trip having a tongue portion forward 1y of said notch; extending, downwardly andrear wardly below th bottom of latchand across said notchr, theunder-edge of. saidtong eslopin forwardly and upwardly to the. bottomof said.

latch. g

2. In a studio couch, including aback, a seat, means hingedly securing said seat and backtogether, and. bracing means for holding said back in upright position relatively to said seat, and

for accomplishing shiftof said back to bed position; each said bracingmeansincludmg a latch pin carried by said seat, and a brace pivotally secured to said back and riding on said latch pin,

said brace adjacent its forward end being abruptly notched to effect a shoulder for bracing engagement with said notch pin, and forwardly of said shoulder, said notch being downwardly and forwardly sloped to effect a disengaging cam; said brace being slotted from its forward end rearwardly beyond said notch, av latch trip housed in said slot, a pin above said notch and rearward thereof extending transversely throughsaid brace and trip to hinged-1y mount, said trip in said slot, the underside of said trip being cut. away above said notch from its. rear end forwardly'of said notch, said trip having a tongu portion forwardly of said notch extending downwardly and rearwardly below the bottom or said latch and across said notch, the under-edge of said tongue sloping forwardly and upwardly to. the bottom of said latch. i

3. In a studio couch, including a back, a seat, means hinged-1y securing said seat and back, to.- gather, and bracing means-for holdingsaid back in upright position relatiyely to said seat, and for accomplishing shift of said back; to bed, position; each said bracing means including a latch pin carried by said seat, and a brace pivotally secured to said back and riding on said latch pin, said brace adjacent its forward end being abruptly notched to effect a shoulder for bracing engagement with said latch pin, and forwardly of said shoulder, said notch being downwardly and forwardly sloped to efiect a disengaging cam; a latch trip pivotally secured to said brace adjacent and above said shoulder, and means limiting downward movement of the forward end of said trip the underside of said trip being cut away above said notch from its rear end forwardly of said notch, said trip having a tongue portion forwardly of said notch extending downwardly and rearwardly below the bottomof said latch and across said notch, the under-edge of 4. In a studio couch, including a back, a seat, means hingedly securing said seat and back together, and bracing means for holding said back in upright positionrelatively to said seat, and for accomplishing shift of saidback to bed position; each said bracing means including a latch pin carried by said seat, and a brace pivotally secured to said back and riding on said latch pin, said brace adjacent its forward end being abruptlynotched to effect a shoulder for bracing engagement with said latch pin, and, forwardly of said shoulder said notch being downwardly and forwardly sloped to effect a disengagingcam; a

latch trip, means adjacent said shoulder pivotal 1y securing the rear end of said trip to said latch,

forward end of said trip, the underside of said trip being cut away above said notch, said trip having a tongue portion forwardly of said-notch extending downwardly and rea'rwardly below the bottom of said latch and across said notch, the under-edge of said tongue sloping forwardly and I upwardly to the bottom ofsaid latch.

5. In a studio couch, including a back, a, seat,

means hingedly securing said seat and back to-,

cured to said back and riding on said latch pin,

i said brace adjacent its forward end being abruptly notched to effect a shoulder for bracing engagement with said latch pin, and, forwardly of said shoulder said notch being downwardly and j forwardly sloped to efiect a disengaging cam; a

latch trip, means adjacent said shoulder pivotal if ly securing the rear end of said trip to said latch, means limiting upward swing of said trip, and means limiting downward movement of the forward end of said trip, the under-side of said trip being cut away above said notch, said trip having a tongue portion forwardly of said notch exupwardly to the bottomof said latch.

WILLIAM W. WILSON.

and means limiting downward movement of the r 

